Rehab center loses contract, lease

SOCCORO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) - It's been a bad week for the controversial Second Chance drug and alcohol treatment center.

On Friday, the City of Albuquerque terminated the center's lease, and a day later Socorro County is cutting ties.

The El Defensor Chieftain newspaper reports that the Socorro County Commission voted this week to void their contract with Second Chance because of problems that recently surfaced at the facility.

Two Socorro County inmates were housed there when commissioners voted Tuesday.

Friday, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez said Second Chance violated the terms of its lease by housing inmates charged with violent crimes.

"It's an unfortunate end to what could have been a great experiment in an alternative type of rehabilitation," Chavez said.

The facility currently houses 46 inmates which undergo a series of diet, vitamin, massage and sauna treatments based on the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard.

Second Chance has until the end of January to vacate the city's old Westside jail.